K-State announces volleyball schedule

By The MercuryMay 21, 2013

The Kansas State Volleyball team made its 14th NCAA tournament last season, and the Wildcats will look to get back to the postseason in 2013 with six seniors returning for their final season with the Wildcats.

K-State’s schedule will see a total of 12 matches against eight NCAA tournament teams and the home schedule will have some international flavor.

The Wildcats will play a home match against the Italian Under 23 National Team. The Wildcats will host the Italians at Ahearn Field House on Sept. 24 at 7 p.m.

K-State has 13 home matches next season, including the match against Italy, and host five matches against tournament teams. K-State’s first home match will be Sept.6 against Southeast Missouri State when the Wildcats host the K-State Invitational.

The two other teams playing in the K-State Invitational this season will be Siena and Southern Illinois.

K-State opens the 2013 campaign on the road in Las Vegas for a tournament hosted by UNLV, Aug. 30-31. The Wildcats will also play Cal State-Fullerton and Portland.

Four of the Wildcats’ nonconference opponents went to the NCAA tournament last season and the first one on the docket will be Tulsa with the Golden Hurricane traveling to Manhattan for a mid-week match at Ahearn on Sept. 10. The Wildcats will then head to the West Coast to face two more NCAA tourney teams at a tournament hosted by Cal on Sept. 13-14. The Cal Berkely tournament will also feature West Coast powers Santa Clara and Cal Poly.

After playing in Cal’s home tournament, the Wildcats will see another tournament team in Arkansas when K-State travels to its tournament in Fayetteville on Sept. 20-21.

Following the tournament at Arkansas, K-State will travel to Missouri State for a match on Sept. 22. K-State will then play the Italian U23 team at 7 p.m. on Sept. 24 before beginning Big 12 play.

Conference action will start on the road for the Wildcats as they head to West Virginia for their first league match on Sept. 27.

K-State will then host its first two conference matches of the season , starting with the Sunflower Showdown against Kansas on Oct. 2 before facing TCU on Oct. 5.

After hitting the road for two matches against NCAA tournament teams Iowa State and Oklahoma, K-State will return home to face Texas Tech on Oct.19.

K-State will play host to Texas on Oct. 26.

The Wildcats will play another NCAA tournament team immediately following the Texas match with the Oklahoma Sooners coming to Ahearn on Oct. 30.

November opens with a trip to Lubbock, Texas, to take on Texas Tech on Nov. 6 before West Virginia makes its return visit to Manhattan a few days later. The second Sunflower Showdown will be in Lawrence on Nov. 16. The Wildcats will then play their second matches against Baylor, Texas and TCU before facing Iowa State at home on the final day of the regular season.

The match against Iowa State will serve as senior night for six seniors.

Season tickets are currently on sale for the 13 home matches. An Early Bird special for online purchases expires on May 31.

This year Reserved Chairback season ticket holders can receive a discount based on the number of matches they attend during the year, and a Wildcat 4 Pack offering four general admission bench tickets to every home match is available for $120.

For more information or to purchase season tickets, please contact the K-State Ticket Office at 1-800-221-CATS or online at kstatesports.com/tickets.